Sheffield United 3, Manchester United 3
Sheffield United snatched a 90th minute equaliser after Manchester United overturned a 2-0 deficit at Bramall Lane in 7 second half minutes to lead the Blades in a thrilling game.
The hosts raced into a 2-0 lead against a limp United side through goals by John Fleck and Lys Mousset but their work rate and defensive line dropped late on and the Reds scored three times in 7 minutes through Brandon Williams, Mason Greenwood, and Marcus Rashford to put themselves 3-2 up.
The drama wasn’t over, though, as substitute Oliver McBurnie scored a 90th minute equaliser which was checked for handball by VAR before being allowed to stand to earn Chris Wilder’s side a deserved share of the spoils.
The result meant that United haven’t won in 11 away Premier League games and Solskjaer survived a failed experiment with a three-man back line including Phil Jones.
Harry Maguire returned to his home town club wearing the captain’s armband and was partnered in defence by Victor Lindelof and Jones.
Jones was in the side for the injured Scott McTominay (ankle).
There were two enforced changes for the home side, with on-loan United ‘keeper Dean Henderson unable to play and replaced by Simon Moore, with the injured John Egan replaced by Premier League veteran Phil Jagielka.
After 12 minutes John Lundstram and Dave McGoldrick saw efforts blocked – David De Gea dived to his right to save from Lundstram and his outstretched hand blocked the unmarked McGoldrick’s follow-up header.
After 19 minutes, Lys Mousset outmuscled the hapless Jones and pulled the ball back into the area where Lundstram’s effort was blocked by De Gea but the ball came back off John Fleck to put the Blades into a well deserved lead.
It took almost half an hour for Moore to be employed in making a simple save as United struggled while De Gea was by far the busier of the two keepers – the Spaniard would produce more saves to deny McGoldrick throughout the game.
Phil Jones experiment lasts for one half against Sheffield United
Solskjaer admitted his error in withdrawing Jones at half time and replaced him with Jesse Lingard and switched to a back four.
United remained short of ideas in the second half – Marcus Rashford shot high and wide from 20 yards out in the second half.
Lys Mousset then doubled the home lead with a precise low strike from outside the area after being played through by Fleck while charging through the static United defence.
The Reds piled on the pressure after the home side lost Mousset to injury midway through the second half and then subconsciously retreated.
United had looked out of ideas until the 72nd minute when Brandon Williams pulled one back for the Reds with a right footed half volley which kept low and beat Moore after Daniel James’ cross deflected into his path.
Andreas Pereira was immediately removed for Mason Greenwood as Solskjaer rejigged the side again and threw the kitchen sink at the Blades.
And the youngster delivered the goods, sliding in to convert a super cross from Rashford inside the 6 yard box with 13 minutes to go.
Rashford then put the Reds into the lead with his 7th goal in 8 appearances for his 10th of the season after getting on the end of a James cross with 11 minutes to go.
It was the first time that two United teenagers (Williams and Greenwood) had scored in a Premier League game since October 2005 against Sunderland when Wayne Rooney and Guiseppe Rossi were the scorers.
And it was the first Premier League goal scored by the teenagers – with Greenwood at 18 years and 54 days the third youngest goalscorer for the Reds in the competition behind Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda.
There was time for one more dramatic incident when Oliver McBurnie came off the bench as Bramall Lane started emptying and scored a 90th minute equaliser which VAR didn’t interfere with despite a suspicion of handball.
MATCH STATS – Sheffield United 3, Manchester United 3
Sheffield Utd: Moore, Basham (Robinson 83), Jagielka, O’Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens, McGoldrick (Sharp 78), Mousset (McBurnie 68)
Sheffield Utd Subs not used: Verrips, Freeman, Osborn, Besic
Booked: Lundstram
Goals: Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Man Utd: De Gea, Lindelof, Maguire, Jones (Lingard 46), Wan-Bissaka, Pereira (Greenwood 73), Fred, Williams, James, Martial (Tuanzebe 85), Rashford
Man Utd Subs not used: Grant, Mata, Young, Garner
Booked: Williams, Wan-Bissaka
Goals: Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 32,024